USMNT Rewind: Standout Performances in UEFA Champions League Play, Postseason Pushes in the U.S. and Mexico, and More
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It was a memorable Thanksgiving week for several players in the U.S. Men's National Team player pool who enjoyed standout performances for their respective club teams at home and abroad.
In Europe, Malik Tillman ignited PSV Eindhoven's incredible 11th-hour comeback in a UEFA Champions-League victory, just before Ricardo Pepi put an exclamation point on the continental triumph.
Christian Pulisic began his week scoring the first goal in AC Milan's win in UCL play, then later assisted on the Serie A team's second goal in a victory in league play over the weekend.
Domestically, John Tolkin - a member of the U.S. Men's Olympic team that competed in Paris - set up the lone goal in the New York Red Bulls' 1-0 win over Orlando City SC that boosted them into the MLS Cup.
And in Mexico, Brandon Vazquez and Alex Zendejas reached the Liga MX playoffs with their respective teams, Monterrey and Club América.
Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi took PSV Eindhoven from the jaws of defeat to a stunning and dramatic comeback victory in the UEFA Champions League in Eindhoven, Netherlands on Wednesday, Nov. 27. Tillman tallied two late goals to equalize the match against 10-man Shakhtar Donetsk before Pepi struck for the game-winner five minutes into stoppage time en route to a 3-2 win. PSV, the Dutch Eredivisie leaders, extended its two-year home unbeaten streak to a record 47 matches.
Tillman sparked the comeback, firing home a free kick in the 87th minute before netting the tying goal with a 24-yard rocket past goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk into the upper left corner at Philips Stadion. That left it up to Pepi, who has been on fire for club and country recently, to put the exclamation point on the comeback with a headed injury time score.
On Sunday, Dec. 1, PSV (13-1-0, 39 points) extended its lead to eight points over second-place Utrecht (10-2-1, 31) behind a 5-2 away win in the Dutch Eredivisie. Neither Tillman (90 minutes), Pepi (13 minutes as a substitute nor Richie Ledezma (78 minutes) scored for the former. Paxten Aaronson and Taylor Booth (45 minutes as a sub) played for Utrecht.
Christian Pulisic, who is enjoying his best season as a professional for AC Milan, had a goal contribution in two wins.
He started Milan to a 3-2 victory over host Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League with a brilliant individual goal in the 21st minute on Tuesday, Nov. 26. Tammy Abraham, from just past the center circle, hit an on-rushing Pulisic on the right flank. Pulisic outran his marker down that side before slotting from 12 yards into the lower left corner past goalkeeper Dominik Takáč to lift the Italian Serie A team to a 1-0 lead.
On Saturday, Nov. 30, he assisted on Tijjani Reijnders' goal that lifted the hosts into a 2-0 advantage in the 44th minute.
Pulisic, who accrued a career-best 16 goals last season, has racked up eight goals and five assists across all competitions this campaign. In fact, he is the only Serie A player with at least 20 goals and 15 assists since the start of the 2023-24 season.
Two USMNT pool players and their teammates - New York Red Bulls left back John Tolkin and Los Angeles Galaxy defender Jalen Neal - have booked spots in the MLS Cup final in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Tolkin, who played the full 90 minutes, set up the lone goal in the 1-0 win over Orlando City SC in the Eastern Conference final at Orlando, Fla. Two minutes into the second half, Tolkin sent a curling free kick from the right side that center back Andres Reyes headed home at the far-left post.
Neal dressed for the Galaxy, but did not see any action in its 1-0 home win over the Seattle Sounders. Jordan Morris played 90 minutes for Seattle.
Club América's Alejandro Zendejas and Monterrey's Brandon Vazquez will get an opportunity to perform in the Liga MX Apertura semifinals this week, with a possibility to meet in the final
América captured its quarterfinal series with Toluca. It recorded a pair of 2-0 wins on Nov. 27 and Nov. 30, for a 4-0 aggregate victory. Zendejas, who started in both legs, set up the final goal as Henry Martin put home a rebound of his shot past goalkeeper Tiago Volpi in the 72nd minute. America hosts Cruz Azul on Tuesday, Dec. 3, and plays away on Friday, Dec. 7.
Monterrey won its quarterfinal series in a 6-3 aggregate result. It blanked Pumas UNAM in its home match on Thursday, Nov. 28 before recording a 5-3 road triumph on Sunday, Dec. 1. Vazquez was a late substitute in both wins. In the first leg, Vazquez’s run into the penalty area led to handball and an ensuing penalty kick that Sergio Canales converted for the lone goal of the match. Monterrey will play Atlético San Luis in the opening leg on Tuesday, Dec. 3 before hosting the second leg on Friday, Dec. 6.
-- Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United; English Championship) - 69 minutes in 1-0 loss at Blackburn Rovers (Nov. 30); 84 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Luton Town (Nov. 27)
-- Paxten Aaronson (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 5-2 loss vs. PSV Eindhoven (Dec. 1)
-- Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) – 90 minutes in 4-2 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers (Nov. 30)
-- Folarin Balogun (Monaco; French Ligue 1) – 68 minutes in 2-1 loss at Marseille (Dec. 1); 27 minutes as a substitute in 3-2 loss vs. Benfica in UCL (Nov. 27)
-- Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 5-2 loss vs. PSV Eindhoven (Dec. 1)
-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie A) – 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Bologna (Nov. 30); 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Lecce (Nov. 25)
-- Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis; Spain La Liga) - Injured, DNP in 2-0 loss at Real Sociedad (Dec. 1); Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss at Mlada Boleslav in UEFA Conference League (Nov. 28)
-- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) -90 minutes in 5-0 win vs. Ross County (Nov. 30); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Club Brugge in UCL (Nov. 27)
-- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - Injured, DNP in 5-2 win at Utrecht (Dec. 1); Injured, DNP in 3-2 win vs. Shakhtar Donetsk in UCL (Nov. 27)
-- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) - Injured, DNP in 3-1 loss at Espanyol (Nov. 30)
-- Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Sporting Charleroi (Nov. 30)
-- Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City; Championship) - In 18, DNP in 2-2 draw at Coventry City (Nov. 30); In 18, DNP in 2-0 loss vs. Queens Park Rangers (Nov. 27)
-- Richy Ledezma (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 78 minutes in 5-2 win at Utrecht (Dec. 1); 1 minute as a substitute in 3-2 win vs. Shakhtar Donetsk in UCL (Nov. 27)
-- Kristoffer Lund (Palmero; Italy Serie B) - 29 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 win vs. Spezia (Dec. 1)
-- Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim; Bundesliga) - 55 minutes in 4-0 loss vs. 68 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (Dec. 1); Chelsea in UEFA Conference League (Nov. 28)
-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw at Lecce (Dec. 1); Injured, DNP in 0-0 draw at Aston Villa in UCL (Nov. 27)
-- Mark McKenzie (Toulouse; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Auxerre (Dec. 1)
-- Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough; Championship) - Injured, DNP in 3-1 win vs. Hull City (Nov. 30); Injured, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. Blackburn Rovers (Nov. 27)
-- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Los Angeles Galaxy in MLS Cup Playoffs (Nov. 30)
-- Yunus Musah (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - 75 minutes in 3-0 in Empoli (Nov. 30); 15 minutes as a substitute in 3-2 win at Slovan Bratislava in UCL (Nov. 26)
-- Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; MLS) – In 18, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Seattle Sounders in MLS Cup Playoffs (Nov. 30)
-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos; Greek Super League) - In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Atromitos (Dec. 1); Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 win vs. HJK in UEFA Conference League (Nov. 28)
-- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - Injured, DNP in 5-1 win at RB Leipzig (Nov. 30)
-- Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Bayer Leverkusen (Nov. 30)
-- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 13 minutes as a substitute in 5-2 win at Utrecht (Dec. 1); 90 minutes, GOAL, in 3-2 win vs. Shakhtar Donetsk in UCL (Nov. 27)
-- Christian Pulisic (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 3-0 in Empoli (Nov. 30); 74 minutes, GOAL, in 3-2 win at Slovan Bratislava in UCL (Nov. 26)
-- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - 1 minute as a substitute in 1-1 draw vs. Bayern Munich (Nov. 30); 28 minutes as a substitute in 3-0 win at Dinamo Zagreb in UCL (Nov.27)
-- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Gent (Dec. 1)
-- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Newcastle United (Nov. 30)
-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Tottenham (Dec. 1); 90 minutes in 4-1 loss vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (Nov. 23)
-- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Championship) - Injured, DNP in 4-2 win vs. Luton Town (Nov. 30); Injured, DNP in 6-1 win vs. Plymouth Argyle (Nov. 26)
-- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Freiburg (Nov. 30)
-- Gaga Slonina (Barnsley; English League One) - Injured, DNP in 0-0 draw (4-3 PK losers) in Carabao Cup; Injured, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Reading (Nov. 26)
-- Tanner Tessmann (Lyon; French Ligue 1) – In 18, DNP in 4-1 win vs. Nice (Dec. 1); 76 minutes in 4-1 win at Qarabag in UEFA Europa League (Nov. 28)
-- Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 5-2 win at Utrecht (Dec. 1);90 minutes, TWO GOALS, in 3-2 win vs. Shakhtar Donetsk in UCL (Nov. 27)
-- John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 1-0 win at Orlando City SC in MLS Cup Playoffs (Nov. 30)
-- Auston Trusty (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - In 18, DNP in 5-0 win vs. Ross County (Nov. 30); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Club Brugge in UCL (Nov. 27)
-- Matt Turner (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Newcastle United (Nov. 30)
-- Brandon Vazquez (Monterrey; Liga MX) - 7 minutes as a substitute in 5-3 win at Pumas UNAM in Apertura playoffs (Dec. 1); 25 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win vs. Pumas UNAM in Apertura playoffs (Nov. 28)
-- Tim Weah (Juventus; Italy Serie A) in 1-1 draw at Lecce (Dec. 1); 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Aston Villa in UCL (Nov. 27)
-- Caleb Wiley (Strasbourg; French Ligue 1) - Injured, DNP in 3-1 loss at Brest (Nov. 30)
-- Haji Wright (Coventry City; Championship) - Injured, DNP in 2-2 draw at Coventry City (Nov. 30); Injured, DNP in 2-0 loss at Burnley (Nov. 26)
-- Alejandro Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - 82 minutes in 2-0 win at Toluca in Apertura Playoffs (Nov. 30); 88 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Toluca in Apertura Playoffs (Nov. 27)